Remaining 2009 stock on offer - prices shown are reduced from normal retail Allround Freeride Hybrid
Product Overview
The 2009 Rebel is bashing down the barriers of free-riding and surfing. The clean, simple 5 line design delivers smooth, reactive steering, extreme resistance to back-stalling when over-sheeted and the most direct bar feedback yet. The unique quad strut configuration produces a light weight kite with quick turning and a snappy feel which makes the bigger sizes feel more crispy and lively.The quad strut also helps create a very clean center profile that delivers constant, predictable power for free-ride comfort. The Rebel is heavily reinforced with Dacron to take some severe thrashings in the surf and come out in one piece. The combination of decreased weight and a rounder arch helps prevent the Rebel from falling quickly when the lines go slack while surfing making it easier to recover from steering errors. One pump inflation for added simplicity.
- Direct Depower
- Reactive Steering
- 5th Element Safety
- Light Weight
- Heavy Reinforcing
- Quad Rip Design
- Lazy Pump
- Sizes: 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 14 / 16
- Deflator Pin // The low drag ribs require a high inflation pressure, thus all valves at the chambers of the evo '06 are self closing. Thanks to the worked in drainage functionality, the air can be let out withion a few seconds.
- Batten Packets //
Batten Pockets are built of sticky-back insignia cloth lining the canopy surface where battens are located. This combines with heavy abrasionresistant nylon fabric on surfaces that come between the batten and sources of abrasion damage, such as hard sand and beaches. We allowed a rhino proto to tumple in the white water for some time. There was no damage to batten pocket or canopy.
- Cam Battens //
A major concern in this project has been duarbility. We approached this issue by choosing to use thin sfor battens with construction that has been proven durable through use in windsurfing wave sails. These are tough S-Glass rather than the e-glass vynalester. The fiber to resin ration is slightly lower than usual so that the battens will be tough enough and so that they have a smooth resin rich surface. This helps keep stray fibers to a minimum.
- Kook Proof Connectors //
These connectors prevent the number one cause of kite accidents by ensuring that the front lines cannot be attached to the back of the kite and the back lines cannot be attached to the front.
- Aramid reinforcement //
New for 2009 are aramid reinforcements, added in highly exposed areas such as the micro batten pockets and the leading edge scuff pads. These reinforcements reduce wear from everyday use and increase the durability of your kite.
Size / 5th line / range / A/R / Proj
6m² / 136,5cm / 18.38kt / 4.9 / 4.0m
7m² / 154cm / 17-36kt / 4.9 / 4.6m
8m² / 164,5cm / 16.34kt / 4.9 / 5.3m
9m² / 181cm / 15.32kt / 4.9 / 5.6m
10m² / 188cm / 14.30kt / 4.9 / 6.2m
11m² / 193cm / 13-28kt / 4.9 / 6.8m
12m² / 204cm / 12-26kt / 4.9 / 7.5m
14m² / 228cm / 11-24kt / 5.0 / 8.5m
16m² / 247cm / 10-21kt / 5.0 / 9.8m
5th Element bar system
This is a very well polished 5th line system that has is well proven and has a rare and unique advantage;
The rear line attachment points on the bar can be moved from an inner to an outer setting. This means that a single bar is capable of fitting every single kite in the range, from the smallest to the largest.
North's promo;
- The benchmark in safety
- Improved safety leash
- Redesigned Iron Heart -
Lower release forces & lighter weight
- Adjustable sliding stopper
- Lighter Vario Cleat
In its third year, North Kiteboarding’s 5th Element has been thoroughly redesigned for even more effective safety release functions. The reworked IronHeart and Safety Leash require lower release forces and are now more functional even in sandy and wet saltwater conditions. The new Sliding Stopper and Stopperball with the double depower line ensure a perfect hold of the bar in all situations. The smaller and lighter VarioCleat helps you to adjust the bar fast and easy for a perfect fit.
Riders of all levels, from pros to newcomers, will benefit from the advantages of the 5th Element bar setup.
The Rebel is North's mainstream 5 line hybrid kite that started the ball rolling with the new series precision handling hybrids. This is it's 3rd incarnation, and it represents excellent performance and handling in a very easy to use package.
For some time North have had a few nigges in design and production, but finally they seem to have been laid to rest and the Rebel defines a style of kite that has taken the industry by storm. Well regarded, there are other kites that do specific things better, but the rebel is consided by many to be the best of the allround hybrids.
If you are interested in a Rebel, also look at;
Airush Vapor II (very similar - and now on offer)
Airush Vapor III (a faster and more high end style of 5 line hybrid)
Nobile 666, which is an exceptional handling kite (like the Vegas but same depower level as the rebel).
Kiteworld test;
North Rebel 12m
CONDITIONS TESTED IN:
Gusty 18 – 30+ knots
THE HYPE:
The 2009 Rebel is bashing down the barriers of freeriding and surfing! The clean, simple 5-line design delivers smooth, reactive steering, extreme resistance to back-stalling when over-sheeted and the most direct bar feedback yet. Our unique quadstrut configuration produces a quick-turning light weight kite and a snappy feel which makes the bigger sizes feel more crisp and lively than ever! The quad-strut also helps create a very clean centre profile that delivers constant, predictable power for freeride comfort. The Rebel is heavily reinforced with Dacron to take some severe thrashings in the surf and come out in one piece. The combination of decreased weight and a rounder arch helps prevent the Rebel from falling quickly when the lines go slack while surfing, making it easier to recover from steering errors. One pump inflation has been added for simplicity.
TEST TEAM NOTES:
CHRIS: Wow. This definitely put a smile on my face over the last couple of days. The bar is reasonably large, but like all North bars is functional, uncluttered and has a high-quality chicken-loop safety system. It just looks like it's going to work straight away. Quality throughout with a one-pump system, easy power/depower and has everything you want from your kite control system. My only thing would be that the bar feels just a touch big, but nevertheless is comfortable in the hands. Usual North lines which seem to be unique in the market, and they do last well. It's noticeable that it's missing a middle strut and the profile and shape make it look like a bull dog with a broad set of shoulders. It looks meaty and it does have a big set of balls, but in a nice way! I had a lot of fun on this and it's so easy to ride. Screams upwind, the feeling through the bar and the power delivery is lovely and never once did it catch me out. I've been out in all sorts of gusty winds over the last two days and the gust management works brilliantly. However, when you pull in on that bar it goes, 'Come on then, let's go!' Instant power delivery without being brutal. There's no lag at all. It unhooked reasonably well, but it is a little bit grunty for a lot of that and becomes a bit of a handful. Riding in over 20 knots it just becomes a jumping monster. Oh my God. I went out yesterday doing all my old school tricks and the jumps were so sent and floaty, you knew where you were the whole time - just solid pull the whole way. Kite loops are fun, the kite turns with good speed, goes round and doesn't stall. It's not going to kick your butt because it does something wild, but has continual power through the loop, although more pivotal than driving. I didn't get it to stall at all, so running with the kite in waves should be good, too.
NEAL: Finally North have a one pump! It was like the final piece in the jigsaw for so long. I also like the depower and cleat and all fittings and workings are: very smooth. I'm a fan of fifth lines as they're a proven system. There are elastic bits on the tips that are supposed to stop the kite ever looping round itself in surf and the chicken-loop is solid with a good release handle. I like that rather than Velcro as a final release. Great all-round attention to detail and build quality. There should have been way too much wind for the kite in the session I tried it. I had it almost to the point where I'd pulled on complete depower, but the kite still felt really nice and stable and the power had a beautifully graded feel – you have such control over your hang-time and if you give the bar an extra pull as you come into land you get an extra boost for landing. That's a great quality and it had amazing depower for a 12, considering that everyone else on the water were on nines. The feedback through the bar is fantastic and it still felt comfortable even though we were probably way outside of the kite's wind-range at times in 30 knots.
JAMES: I really like the fact that it's five lines and no bridles as there's just less stuff to get caught up. Definitely the most depowerable five line kite with the biggest wind-range I've ever flown. It's very easy to control, you always feel comfortable and it's just a hell-of-a lot-of-fun. The best aspects for me were that it would do whatever you wanted, immediately - turning, power, depower...it was all on tap in an instant and the jumping is just insane.
SUMMARY:
Polished, practical and fun. The Rebel is a really good all-round hybrid kite. Relatively quick for a 12 metre, excellent bar pressure and pin-point control of the kite gives good advanced riding characteristics as well as
providing everything that an intermediate rider could want. Really powerful yet with a huge bottom end, it's incredibly controllable. Anyone who gets on this, whether they've been riding a few years or not, are going to smile. It's so much fun.
KW LIKED: The complete ease-of-use and fun factor.
KW WOULD CHANGE: The fact that we had to give it back.
SIZES: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16m
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